BeQuiet Dark Base Pro 900 Watercooled Build

Bone9 · 19 Dec 2016 at 14:13

Hi guys this is a project log for my first watercooled PC build.

Here are the specs...

CPU - Intel i7 4790k
GPU - EVGA GTX1080FTW
PSU - EVGA 850P2 with Cable mod custom cables
MB - Gigabyte GA-Z97X-SLI
RAM - 16gb HyperX FURY DDR3 1866MHz
SSD - Kingston 120 GB V300
HDD's - Seagate 1TB & WD 2TB
Case - BeQuiet Darkl Base Pro 900 Black/Silver
Fans - 5x BeQuiet Silent Wings 3 1000rpm pwm and 1 x BeQuiet Silent Wings 3 1500rpm pwm fan
Fan Controller - Aqua Computer Aquaero 6 XT - Blue
Front Rad - Hardware Labs Black Ice Nemesis 280GTS
Top Rad - Hardware Labs Black Ice Nemesis 420GTX
CPU Block - EKWB - Supremacy EVO - Nickel
GPU Block - EK-FC1080 GTX EVGA FTW - Nickel + Plexi
GPU Backplate - EK-FC1080 GTX EVGA FTW Backplate - Black
Pump & Res - EK-XRES 140 Revo D5 PWM (incl. pump) with multiport top etc
Fittings - Barrow
Tubing - Barrow 14mm PETG
Coolant - Mayhems Clear UV Blue

It's currently running on air and looks like this...

Will have to wait after Christmas to start the build properly as the gpu and cpu blocks are presents.

Here's a few pics to get started

Bone9 · 19 Dec 2016 at 14:15

I plan to make a cover for the unused hdd slots made from black plasticard and black brushed aluminum vinyl.

It will be running as intake through the front rad via push and exhaust through the top rad via pull. I'll consider a 3rd fan in the front just as a cold air intake if needed.

The blu ray drive and cage will be removed and the hdd's will be moved up.

Bone9 · 20 Dec 2016 at 09:34

Cheers guys

Yeah very happy with the Barrow fittings, the quality looks great.

Was originally going to do a psu shroud but now the pump will be to the right of it I'm not sure it's needed, we will see.

I am leaning towards the white coolant just worried about it clogging up the system etc.

It did have some silver inside with the gpu but the case fits in well with the rest of the set up. Silver speaker stands, handles on the desk and the monitor stand.

On another note. Flushed the rads out last night with very hot distilled water. Flushed each rad 10 times so there ready to fit.

Bone9 · 22 Dec 2016 at 12:12

Couldn't help myself and made a little start!

Ran into a few problems so glad I did.

-Removed the blu ray drive and cage and fitted the extra fan bracket in the front.
-Lowered motherboard tray.
-Fitted top fans and both radiators.
-Moved both HDD's up a slot.

Sorry for the poor pics they were taken with my phone. Promise to do very high quality pics for the end result.

Now for the problems...

-The pump mounting system I planned to use wont fit as its too tight and the fittings on the front rad foul on the pump bracket. I originally was going to use the EK mount and some rubber mounts and fit it to the bottom of the case on the fan mount holes but it too close to the rad and fouls the fittings.

So now i'm thinking of mounting the res/pump to the panel at the back that covers the HDD holes. Problem with this is the plasticard I got is only 2mm thick and very flexible. I'm picking up a piece of 5mm acrylic this afternoon to try that. Like this but thicker, using these rubber mounts to hopefully quieten down the pump a bit. What do you think?

Hope this is good enough and doesn't vibrate, I want the pump as quiet as possible. This way I can line up the pump to rad pipe well at the bottom but then this causes the res multiport top to face a different way which causes this problem...

-New position of res/pump puts the ports at the top facing the wrong way. Now the side ports face the rear when tight and not to the left like planned originally. I can go into the top of the res but don't really like the adapter you need to use so you can fit a standard fitting (see pic)

If I use one of the rear ports it needs to face this way but it needs to come out to the front of the case more so it lines up with the cpu socket.

Any ideas on what will look best or what fittings to use so the rear port comes to the front more? How can I improve the looks of the nickle extender fitting so it matches the colour and size of the fitting?

-The led lighting now doesn't light the case as well as before due to the rads blocking the beam

Bone9 · 22 Dec 2016 at 12:59

Come up with this for the nickle fitting. A few layers of heat shrink tubing. What do you think?

Bone9 · 22 Dec 2016 at 13:55

orbitalwalsh said:
Thought about inverting the 900 case ?

Yeah that's not for me, prefer it the standard way. It also sits to the right of me on my desk so the window would be on the wrong side.

Bone9 · 22 Dec 2016 at 14:08

LewisRaz said:
Ive mounted my pump/res combo to 5mm plastic. There is a little flex but its not going to go anywhere. Not too sure how it has affected vibration as it was quiet before and still is

That's good to know thanks.

Bone9 · 23 Dec 2016 at 10:12

Smffy said:
Looks good mate, those Barrow fittings do look nice quality so I hope they're as good as they look as the price is certainly more reasonable than most! The Shrink on the res looks fine to the eye also, but the fittings do take paint well if you want to spray them.

Cheers mate, the reviews suggest so

Yeah I could paint it but its also a lot thinner that the barrow fitting and i'd like it the same thickness.

Bone9 · 23 Dec 2016 at 23:31

Got my thicker piece of acrylic so went ahead and made the pump mount. Test fit...

Countersunk the mounting holes then wrapped in black brushed aluminium vinyl. Test fitted the rubber mounts for the pump and attached some felt tape to the rear to stop and vibrations etc.

Also been thinking of where to mount some extra led strips because the current ones are blocked by the rads.

For the front strip that will face the rear of the case I thought about mounting a strip of this to the inner rad screws acting like a shield and fixing the strip inside that. That way the strip will be hidden and shine past the rear of the res to the mb etc.

This could also work for the rear mounts of the top rad facing down.

I'm thinking of darkside uv leds strips on the inner with my current rgb in there current place. This combined with Mayhems clear blue uv coolant should give a good effect, I hope!

Should be blue round the outside with a purple inner but with blue glowing tubes etc.

Bone9 · 29 Dec 2016 at 14:47

Fitted the led shield/mount.

Bone9 · 29 Dec 2016 at 15:27

Made and fitted the led mount/shield for the top rad also.These are for the darkside UV led strips.

Fitted the EK CPU block.

Fitted the GPU block and backplate

Fitted the GPU

Whats your opinion on how I should have the right fitting on the gpu block? Top right going right then down to the fittings or bottom right and behind the gpu cables down to the fittings on the front rad?

Bone9 · 30 Dec 2016 at 11:27

HaloUK said:
Looking good!

Cheers buddy.

Gloss black hdd end plates.

Bone9 · 31 Dec 2016 at 22:51

Had some major progress with this.

Got it all together and passed the 24hr leak test

Just trying to get the last remaining bubbles out then its done (for now)

Heres some pics...

Let me know what you think. Will get some photos with it up and running and some results for the temps etc very soon.

Bone9 · 31 Dec 2016 at 23:58

_lecro_ said:
Niice .. what fluid you got in there . seems to have a blue tint to it !

Thanks, it's Mayhems UV clear blue.

Bone9 · 1 Jan 2017 at 00:24

OK here's a couple of quick pics from my mobile, one just UV and one with blue and UV leds.

Bone9 · 1 Jan 2017 at 14:02

iiNNeX said:
Very nice mate

Thank you

Just need to overclock the cpu (never done this before) any tips?

Bone9 · 7 Jan 2017 at 14:32

Whoops just ordered these...

6x Noctua NF-A14 IndustrialPPC 2000RPM PWM 140mm High Performance Fan
Aqua Computer Aquaero 6 XT - Blue
Aqua Computer Passive Cooler for Aquaero 6
EK Water Blocks EK-Cable Y-Splitter 3-Fan PWM (10cm)
EK Water Blocks EK-Cable PWM Extension Cables Sleeved (30cm)

I found out the temps were 10c higher with the door open so I've upgraded the fans to combat that

Bone9 · 7 Jan 2017 at 15:36

UkayJ said:
can i ask how you've fixed the radiator to the front of your case?

luckily on my new case there's holes at the front for 120 and 140mm fans, I have 120mm fans so was able to zip tie one top corner of the rad through one of the 140mm fan mount holes...not my fav. thing to do...

does every rad need a rad mount bracket for a tidy and sturdy fixed position?

p.s. case looks mint, great job.

Cheers buddy, the rads are held on with 30mm screws going through the fans and case then screwed into the rad itself.

Bone9 · 15 Jan 2017 at 10:10

Here's a screenshot of my Aquasuite overview that i'm working on...

Bone9 · 15 Jan 2017 at 10:19

Little update on the latest purchase. The Aqua Computer Aquaero 6 XT is AWESOME! but the Noctua NF-A14 IndustrialPPC 2000RPM PWM had to be returned to they had a motor buzz that was very annoying.